The burger is a stable in the world of grilling and is probably one of the first thing many people learn to grill, besides the hot dog. The reason being they are two of the most common things cooked at every backyard family cookout. Heck, I know they were the first things I showed my nephew how to cook on the grill and he often helps me to this day cook burgers and hotdogs so it all makes sense.

Therefore, it is no surprise that there are endless cookbooks dedicated to the burger as people love to experiment trying all sorts of new toppings, combinations and methods to enhance and make the backyard cookout even better.

The book starts out like every other cookbook out there with some background information about the authors and introduction from them. However, it is quickly apparent that these two guys have a passion for the burger unlike any others I’ve seen. They have explored the burger and have provided innovative and unique ways to enhance the burger.

One of my favorite aspects that sets this book apart from others I’ve seen is the 1st chapter “The Meat of the Matter” which gets into the most important part of a burger, you guessed it … the MEAT. In this chapter which I found highly informative they get into the different types of meat blends they have created, how to grind your meat, form the patty, season it and of course cook it to the right internal temp depending how you opt to cook it.

As everyone know the patty is just one part of a truly great burger, a total burger includes the bun, toppings, seasonings, sauces and more. Therefore, between the different patty blends and possible toppings the possibilities are endless. This where things getting interesting as these guys are true chefs; they get into how to make your own buns, sauces and other items to be used as toppings. One of these unique toppings is Charred Green Chile Butter, a simple to make topping that can be used to enhance your burger in unique ways. It also can be used in my opinion to enhance anything such as chicken, steak and more.

Charred Green Chile Butter – Photo Credit Katie Chudy

Now, this is where the book gets really interesting as these guys are true burger artists combining many of these recipes to craft what they call “centerfold burgers” truly unique creations that are about combining the different recipes together to create a mouth watering burgers using the various recipes from the book such as the Ragin’ Cajun Burger which is a Thick Patty Seasoned with NOLA Smoky Andouille, on an IPA Sesame Seed Bun with Muffuletta Relish, White Trash Chevre and Creole Mayo.

Overall, I really liked this book and while it is good for the novice cook it does include some more advanced techniques such as sous vide cooking and the use of tools like a smoking gun making it even great for a more experienced cook or the person who is looking to experiment more in the kitchen and on the grill.

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Grilling with Rich is a barbecue and Grilling website devoted to the barbecue lifestyle that includes barbecue and grilling recipes and how to's, interviews with the top names in the barbecue and grilling industry and much more.